#Turbochargers

Cadillac and Lexus have taken two different approaches to building high-performance luxury coupes, though both of their offerings can take you to automotive nirvana and beyond. But as enjoyable as each of these cars can be, one has the upper hand when it comes to smiles an hour.

Weight is the mortal enemy of performance and efficiency. One of the most effective ways of increasing a vehicle’s fuel economy and improving its driving dynamics is to cut unnecessary mass. Every component is fair game for optimization, including turbochargers.

Hyundai’s already powerful Genesis sedan is a blank canvas for tuners to alter however they wish. And with SEMA just around the bend you can bet this car will be well represented at the Vegas event, in fact one company has already boosted it to the brink of insanity.

Turbocharged vehicles are no longer associated with just high-performance models, and that is driving sales numbers up. 

Why would automakers like Honda and Toyota, known for their fuel efficient vehicles, not have already made the switch to smaller-displacement turbocharged engines? The answer, surprisingly, is fuel economy.

Turbochargers are increasingly common as automakers seek to maximize performance while striving for efficiency.

Traditionally, the most effective way of combining performance and fuel economy is via turbocharging; the idea being that using exhaust gas to produce boost and hence greater air volumes, results in the driver having performance on demand.

Turbocharging is moving away from the performance sphere and into the mainstream as companies seek to get more power and fuel economy from smaller displacement engines.

Hyundai‘s new Accent was the star of the companies exhibit at this year’s Beijing Auto Show, but the debut of two new engines and a new automatic transmission will have broader implications for the rest of the company’s lineup.

Ferrari is hard at work trying to refine the turbocharging process so that future products will use the high-horsepower, low emissions (and low weight) technology. According to a report in the U.K.’s AutoCar, Ferrari engine developer Jean-Jacques His says the development is well under weigh, but the biggest issue facing the project is turbo lag.

Ferrari has confirmed that a hybrid model is in the works and that a concept car will debut as early as the LA Auto Show this December. The news comes directly from Ferrari CEO Amedeo Felisa just weeks after a patent application for a hybrid system by Ferrari was uncovered.